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14C AMS at Suerc: Improving QA Data with the 5MV Tandem and 250KV SSAMS

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

P Naysmith ,
G T Cook ,
S P H T Freeman ,
E M Scott ,
R Anderson ,
S Xu ,
E Dunbar ,
G K P Muir ,
A Dougans  and
K Wilcken
...Show all authors
P Naysmith*
Affiliation:
SUERC, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, Rankine Avenue, East Kilbride G75 0QF, Scotland, United Kingdom
G T Cook
Affiliation:
SUERC, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, Rankine Avenue, East Kilbride G75 0QF, Scotland, United Kingdom
S P H T Freeman
Affiliation:
SUERC, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, Rankine Avenue, East Kilbride G75 0QF, Scotland, United Kingdom
E M Scott
Affiliation:
Statistics Department, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, United Kingdom
R Anderson
Affiliation:
SUERC, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, Rankine Avenue, East Kilbride G75 0QF, Scotland, United Kingdom
S Xu
Affiliation:
SUERC, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, Rankine Avenue, East Kilbride G75 0QF, Scotland, United Kingdom
E Dunbar
Affiliation:
SUERC, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, Rankine Avenue, East Kilbride G75 0QF, Scotland, United Kingdom
G K P Muir
Affiliation:
SUERC, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, Rankine Avenue, East Kilbride G75 0QF, Scotland, United Kingdom
A Dougans
Affiliation:
SUERC, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, Rankine Avenue, East Kilbride G75 0QF, Scotland, United Kingdom
K Wilcken
Affiliation:
SUERC, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, Rankine Avenue, East Kilbride G75 0QF, Scotland, United Kingdom
C Schnabel
Affiliation:
SUERC, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, Rankine Avenue, East Kilbride G75 0QF, Scotland, United Kingdom
N Russell
Affiliation:
SUERC, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, Rankine Avenue, East Kilbride G75 0QF, Scotland, United Kingdom
P L Ascough
Affiliation:
SUERC, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, Rankine Avenue, East Kilbride G75 0QF, Scotland, United Kingdom
C Maden
Affiliation:
SUERC, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, Rankine Avenue, East Kilbride G75 0QF, Scotland, United Kingdom
*
Corresponding author. Email: P.Naysmith@suerc.gla.ac.uk
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Abstract

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In 2003, a National Electrostatics Corporation (NEC) 5MV tandem accelerator mass spectrometer was installed at SUERC, providing the radiocarbon laboratory with 14C measurements to 4–5‰ repeatability. In 2007, a 250kV single-stage accelerator mass spectrometer (SSAMS) was added to provide additional 14C capability and is now the preferred system for 14C analysis. Changes to the technology and to our operations are evident in our copious quality assurance data: typically, we now use the 134-position MC-SNICS source, which is filled to capacity. Measurement of standards shows that spectrometer running without the complication of on-line δ13C evaluation is a good operational compromise. Currently, 3‰ 14C/13C measurements are routinely achieved for samples up to nearly 3 half-lives old by consistent sample preparation and an automated data acquisition algorithm with sample random access for measurement repeats. Background and known-age standard data are presented for the period 2003–2008 for the 5MV system and 2007–2008 for the SSAMS, to demonstrate the improvements in data quality.

Type
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 52 , Issue 2: 20th Int. Radiocarbon Conference Proceedings , 2010 , pp. 263 - 271
Copyright
Copyright © 2010 by the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona 

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